To donate
A fundraising page at FirstGiving.com has been established for those who wish to donate to Finnegan’s cause: bit.ly/golfchallengechatt
Between the runners, cyclists and triathletes, Chattanooga's sports community is not lacking endurance athletes.
They are on the Tennessee Riverwalk, at Greenway Farms, on backcountry roads and all over the area.
Today, you'll also find an endurance athlete at Lupton City Golf Club in Hixson.
Patrick Finnegan is attempting to blow through the norms of a leisurely sport by playing 72 holes of golf - carrying his bag the whole way - to raise money for the local Ronald McDonald House.
It will require him to walk roughly 15 miles, stopping and starting every 100-200 yards to put his bag down, hit his next shot and continue.
"I wanted people to know that this isn't just giving away money," Finnegan said Tuesday as he played 18 holes on the quiet, hilly course where he will attempt the feat. "Someone is going to work for this money."
The 51-year-old assistant manager at T.J. Maxx said he regularly participates in philanthropy events through work, such as next month's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which he plans on doing.
But he wanted to try a fundraiser of his own doing something unique, something tough, to benefit a local charity.
"I thought, 'Let's try something different. How about a golf charity?'" Finnegan said. "And I'd played in golf charity events before, but this is still something different."
The husband and father of three anticipates that he will need roughly 10 hours to complete the 72-hole journey. Lupton City is a nine-hole course, so Finnegan will cover it eight times, figuring to play 350-400 shots along the way and leaning over to pick up his bag after each one.
"With the hills here," course manager James Leeth said, stopping to whistle for dramatic effect. "Seventy-two holes, that's a lot on these hills. I'm still in relatively good shape and I couldn't play 72 in a day on a golf cart.
"But we'll do all we can to keep him hydrated and keep him going."
Finnegan's best 18-hole score at Lupton City is 88. He doesn't claim to be an elite golfer. But he enjoys the game and has played at Lupton City several times this summer. He's also walked 96 miles on a treadmill over the last month to help prepare for today's mission.
"At first, I had to ask him if he really meant 72 holes in one day," said Tiffany Cobb, director of development for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. "I know mentally, physically, emotionally, it's going to be really strenuous on Pat. I've been really excited about this. I want to see where it goes."
The Ronald McDonald House houses 26 families a night. Most of them have sick children at Erlanger.
Cobb said it costs $66 per night to house a family at the Ronald McDonald House. The money Finnegan raises will go toward doing that. A FirstGiving page has been set up for those who are interested in donating toward Finnegan's cause.
"What the Ronald McDonald House does is really incredible," Finnegan said. "At the worst possible time of your life, you have someone to depend on. I just shudder at the thought of one of my children being that sick that I needed to do that.
"If it makes it easier for someone, then it's worth it for me to have one long, difficult struggle of a golf day. And really, I get to play golf all day, so it's a win-win."
Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.